Tracking the movements of homeless populations presents methodological difficulties, but understanding their movements in space and time is needed to inform optimal placement of services. This pilot study developed, tested, and refined methods to apply global positioning systems (GPS) technology paired with individual narratives to chronicle the movements of homeless populations. Detail of methods development and difficulties encountered and addressed, and geospatial findings are provided. A pilot sample of 29 adults was recruited from a low-demand homeless shelter in the downtown area of Fort Worth, Texas. Pre- and post-deployment interviews provided participant characteristics and planned and retrospectively-reported travels. Only one of the first eight deployments returned with sufficient usable data. Ultimately 19 participants returned the GPS device with >20 h of usable data. Protocol adjustments addressing methodological difficulties achieved 81 % of subsequent participants returning with sufficient usable data. This study established methods and demonstrated feasibility for tracking homeless population travels.
The onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) often occurs during individuals' prime working years. Although the majority of people with MS are employed at the time of diagnosis, premature departure from the workforce is an all too common response to the significant challenges posed by this disease. The purpose of this article is to examine job retention barriers frequently encountered by people with MS and to describe vocational rehabilitation (VR) strategies designed to ameliorate these barriers so that these individuals can continue working. The authors summarize research findings on illness-related, demographic, and workenvironmental barriers to job retention and career advancement. The authors then provide examples of job retention strategies and interventions that can be implemented by VR professionals to improve the employment outcomes of people with MS.
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